


Another Year, Another Disappointment

by Marvelatsuperwholockedmerlin



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Bucky Barnes & Steve Rogers Friendship, Bucky Barnes Returns, Domestic Avengers, Established Relationship, Forgotten Birthday, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Insecure Tony Stark, M/M, The Avengers forget Tony's birthday, Tony Needs a Hug, bucky and tony have the same birthday, but only sort of, steve ignores tony, steve rogers is a bad boyfriend
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-24
Updated: 2016-01-25
Packaged: 2018-05-08 20:50:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5512865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marvelatsuperwholockedmerlin/pseuds/Marvelatsuperwholockedmerlin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony's birthday is coming up, and for once in his life, he's excited. This year won't be like the others; he's got his team to spend it with, a loving boyfriend to dote on him, and no Howard Stark to mess that up. Unfortunately, it's not Howard that will be Tony's downfall this year.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Tony hated birthdays.

Well, actually, he really only hated his. He would gladly celebrate someone else’s - Steve’s for example.

Steve’s birthday had just rolled around. Bruce had made dinner, some Indian recipe that he had picked up on the run, and the team had had a special movie night and presents. Tony, though, had planned something special for the good Captain.

And no, it wasn’t anything dirty. (Not to say he wasn’t hoping)

He took Steve to a Yankees game. Steve enjoyed it, there was no doubt about that, but even though he didn’t say it, Tony could tell that it brought up bittersweet memories. As a kid, Steve never had money to spare on a luxury like baseball, and now that he – or rather Tony – did, he wished Bucky could be there.

After the game and Avenger night, Tony took his boyfriend down to the floor right above his workshop.

“Okay, close your eyes, big boy,” Tony said, eagerly turning to Steve.

Dutifully, his boyfriend closed his eyes with a soft quirk of his lips.

Tony carefully led Steve through the doors by his hand and into the open space. Tony’s palm was sweaty where it was enclosed in his boyfriend’s larger one.

Tony felt his stomach twist in anticipation. Tony never gave gifts. He usually just gives them money or tells them to pick something out themselves. Pepper just had his credit card and usually picked out a new pair of heels for herself whenever he didn’t show up to a board meeting or forget to sign some papers.

But this gift was special.

Tony handpicked everything for this room himself, so when Steve opened his eyes, Tony waited with baited breath.

“Tony,” Steve breathed, a look of wonder on his face. “This is amazing!”

Steve pulled his hand gently from Tony’s as he wandered closer to the giant table sitting under the enormous window, piled high with every type of art supply imaginable.

Tony had gotten Steve his very own art room.

To top it off, Tony had even found an old picture of Howard, Steve, and Bucky during the Howling Commando days, framed it, and hung it on the wall next to the work table.

When Steve turned back to Tony, the Captain’s eyes were glassy with unshed tears.

“Hey, Steve, baby. Please don’t cry. I’m sorry. I thought you would like this. Oh god, I made Captain America cry on his birthday,” Tony babbled.

It only took Steve a second to cross the room to Tony. Steve’s soft lips quieted the rambling billionaire as he rested his forehead against his boyfriends.

“I love it, Tony. This is perfect.”

Looking back on the day now, Tony felt the stirrings of excitement for his birthday tomorrow. He didn’t care what he did or what he got, he was just eager to spend it with Steve.

The last couple of months have been rough for Tony. Shield had taken Seargent James “Bucky” Barnes aka the Winter Soldier into custody after he walked peacefully into their headquarters.  Apparently, he had been brainwashed for seventy years by Hydra. Fortunately for everyone, his brainwashing had worn off, leaving him needing serious counseling and a new prosthetic arm but otherwise whole and very much alive.

Tony had generously offered Bucky a room in Stark Tower, one he gratefully accepted after some prompting from Steve.

While Bucky still clung to his childhood friend, he had been branching out lately. Just a couple of weeks ago, Tony had wandered into the kitchen to find Bucky and Natasha sitting at the table talking lowly in Russian.

Tony entered quietly, but the pair of assassins still noticed him. Natasha leveled him with a stare that Tony couldn’t decipher. Things were still tense between the two of them after the whole stabbing-him-in-the-neck-and-lying-to-him-about-everything incident. Tony didn’t trust easily, and Natasha hadn’t helped anything.

“Uh, hey guys. Just getting some coffee,” Tony said awkwardly before bolting from the room, coffee mug in hand.

It just got worse after that. Bucky was _everywhere._

Bucky called Natasha “Tasha” and “Nat,” pulled pranks on Clint, reminisced with Steve, arm wrestled with Thor, and even meditated with Bruce.

Now, Tony was happy that Steve was happy - he really was - but Natasha barely let Tony look at her, nevertheless call her a nickname, Clint pretty much stayed away from Tony because he didn’t trust him, and even though Thor got along with everyone, he never offered to do anything special with Tony. At least he and Bruce were still Science Bros.

The thing that ticked him off the most was that he barely ever got any alone time with Steve. It was always “Bucky wants to see this” or “Bucky should go see that.” Tony knew he sounded like a whiny teenager, being irrationally jealous of his boyfriend’s best friend, but he couldn’t help it.

That’s why he was so excited about his birthday. It would be a day completely devoted to Tony with no interruptions from anyone else, and the team would have no excuses not to include him in any of their outings.

That night, Tony went to sleep happy, filled with anticipation, and curled safely in Steve’s arms.

The next morning, Tony woke up to a cold bed.

 _Maybe he’s making me breakfast in bed,_ Tony thought with glee. He had to use all of his willpower just to stay put and not get up to see what his wonderful boyfriend was making him.

An hour later, Tony was still waiting.

Finally, impatience won out. Tony threw the covers off and pulled on a pair of overly large sweatpants that were probably Steve’s.

The tower was suspiciously quiet as he padded to the kitchen where he thought Steve would be. As he got closer, the sound of chatter and laughter floated to Tony’s ears. A grin settled on his face, accentuated in the dim hallway by the soft glow of the arc reactor.

“Hey guys – “ Tony’s greeting petered out as he saw the team already eating Steve’s special pancakes. With a false bravado, Tony asked “What’s going on here?”

Steve turned around from his position at the sink, a large smile stretched from ear to ear. “Hey Tony! You just missed the pancakes. I would make you some more, but we’re all out of eggs.”

Tony looked around the room at the various faces of the Avengers.

Thor was sprawled across a chair eagerly stuffing his face with pancakes. Clint was perched on the edge of Natasha’s chair in just a pair of boxers and a Hulk t-shirt. Natasha and Bucky had their chairs pushed closely together, Bucky’s metal arm resting casually on her thigh.

None of their faces belied any hint of celebration for Tony, but maybe they were planning a surprise party or something. Tony shrugged it off, not taking it to heart.

“Uh, that’s okay. I’ll just have cereal. The coffee made?” Tony asked, turning back to Steve.

With a happy nod, Steve handed over a steaming mug.

“So big day today, huh,” Tony hinted.

Clint perked up at that, a smirk on his lips. “Yeah, the old man here is turning what, 97? We’re gonna have to put you in a nursing home soon.”

“Wait, what? It’s Bucky’s birthday?” Tony asked incredulously.

“Yeah, we’ve got a lot planned. There’s this family-owned Italian place that’s actually still around from when me and Buck were kids,” Steve said, grinning at Tony.

“Hey, wasn’t that that place you got beat up behind, Rogers?” Bucky joked.

“Hard to say. I got beat up a lot of places.”

Tony’s smile slowly slipped from his face as reality set in.

No one remembered his birthday.

Bucky once again took this day from him.

The worst thing was that Tony had known better than to get his hopes up. All through his childhood, Tony was told by Howard that Stark’s didn’t celebrate something they didn’t actually accomplish. Tony had no say or effort in being born, so why should he get rewarded for it?

But just this once, Tony had hoped that he would have friends, a family even, to celebrate with. Unfortunately, he was wrong.

Tony forced a smile “Oh, that sounds  . . . fun. I’ll just uh, be in my workshop.”

“Are you sure? You can come with us.” Steve looked worried now.

“Nah, that’s okay, Cap. You guys go have fun.”

Steve gathered Tony in his arms from behind. “I’ll miss you, but at least join us for cake and movie night later? It’s no fun cuddling by myself.”

Then, Steve actually pouted. Whoever said Captain America didn’t play dirty was a lying bastard. There was no way Tony could resist the pout and Steve knew it.

“Fine. I’ll see you later.” Tony extracted himself from the hug, and with a quick kiss to Steve’s cheek, fled to his shop.

Moments later, Tony was safely tucked away in his shop.

“If I may, sir, happy birthday,” Jarvis spoke up.

“Thanks, buddy, but it’s just another year gone by, another year closer to death.”

“I believe that Dum-E has something special for you.” Jarvis’ voice softened with something that could only be described as affection.

Whirring happily, Dum-E held out his present to Tony. It was a slightly mushed chocolate cupcake with a mess of frosting on top with a single unlit candle perched pathetically on top.

This was simultaneously the sweetest and saddest things that anyone has ever done for him. Without warning, Tony’s eyes filled with tears as he gingerly took the cupcake from Dum-E’s one arm.

“Thanks Dum-E. This means a lot. I probably don’t tell you guys this enough, but I love all of you a lot. I hope you know that,” Tony’s voice wobbled as he spoke.

Jarvis voice was gentle when he replied, “Sir, we love you just as much. You are, in essence, our father, after all.”

“Happy birthday to me, I guess,” Tony said bitterly as he grabbed a bottle of vodka from his stash.

Time to get smashed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, sorry for the really long wait for the update. I honestly have no excuse, but I really love all of your comments!  
> Also, this was just meant to be two chapters but its gotten a lot longer so get ready for more (eventually)!

“Ugh,” Tony moaned. He cracked one crust covered eye to peer out at the dim room around him. The tail end of a shattered bottle stared back at him.

All of a sudden, awareness of his body crashed back into him. His arms ached from their awkward position bent beneath him, and he must have gone a few rounds with Thor if the pounding in his head was any indication.

His cheek was smooshed against cold stone floor, drool puddling next to his mouth. Apparently, he passed out on the floor of his workshop. Well, it wouldn’t be a first.

Cautiously, Tony pushed himself into an upright position. At the movement, his stomach lurched painfully, and Dum-E came out of nowhere with a bucket and a greasy rag in his robotic claw just in time for Tony to relieve the meager contents of his stomach into the tin bucket.

Tony groaned again, cursing the people that invented alcohol with a string of words not fit for any respectable company. Alcohol hadn’t hit him this hard since his first bender as a teenager. Apparently, cutting back on Steve’s request hadn’t done him any favors now.

 _Steve_.

For a brief minute, Tony had forgotten about Steve – one of the joys of alcohol that almost made the hangover worth it.

Steve, his loving, caring boyfriend.

Steve, the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

Steve, the man who forgot his birthday.

Steve, the one who blew him off for _Bucky_.

Tony shut those thoughts off right where they were, the hurt too much for the mechanic to handle.

“Sir?” Jarvis asked hesitantly.

“Too loud, J. Too loud,” Tony groaned, swiping a hand across his eyes. “What happened last night?”

“It appears you consumed approximately 25 ounces of Vodka, 12 ounces of whisky, and 8 ounces of Scotch. Your current blood alcohol level is 0.31.”

Well, that wasn’t good.

“I would advise taking aspirin, hydrating, and going back to sleep – preferably in your bed,” Jarvis said.

Tony waved him off, opting instead to grab the half empty bottle of Scotch. As he pushed himself up to his feet, a raggedy blanket fell to the floor. Dum-E must have covered him with it last night. Tears pooled in his eyes unbidden at the image of the little bot lovingly tucking him in. _Oh god,_ he is so pathetic. No wonder Steve doesn’t want him.

Tony stumbled his way to the grungy couch in the farthest corner of the workshop as he took a swig from the bottle in his hand. The best way to beat a hangover was to outrun it with more alcohol.

Just as Tony was sinking back into oblivion, Jarvis interrupted, “Sir, it appears that Captain Rogers is at the door. He says they’re cutting the cake.”

Great, just another reminder of his horrible birthday. Tony did not have enough alcohol to deal with this.

“Tell ‘im to g’way,” Tony slurred.

Apparently, Jarvis – the amazing robot that he was – took care of it because Tony was able to fall back into a Scotch induced sleep with no more interruptions.

 

_Sand. Everywhere. No matter where he looked, he couldn’t escape it._

_Heat. Pain._

_Water  - oh god. Oh god. He’s drowning. He’s drown-_

“Sir. Sir,” Jarvis’ alarmed voice broke through.

Tony’s hands scrabbled against the worn cloth of the couch, and his labored breathing drowned out the rapid thud of his heart.

Disoriented, Tony attempted to shake the nightmare off as he sat up, his quickened pulse and the feeling of dread and terror the only sign it was there in the first place.

“Thanks, J,” Tony muttered, clutching a shaking hand to arc reactor in his chest. He was no stranger to nightmares. Many of his sleepless nights were filled with lasting images of New York or Afghanistan or Pepper abandoning the company and subsequently him or more recently, countless ways Steve could be lost to him.

Normally when this happened, Steve would comfort him or less frequently now, a bottle of Jack would. Time to go back to the classics.

“J, where’s the alcohol?”

“You have drunken it all, sir. Maybe water this time?”

Tony’s hangover was too immense not to be treated with some Advil, a shit ton of coffee, and some horribly greasy food, but he only had one of those three things down in the workshop.

But that meant going upstairs. Where people would be. Where _Steve_ would be.

Groaning, Tony shuffled off the couch, doused his face in water in the little sink nearby, and plastered on his press-ready face.

He could do this. He was Tony motherfucking Stark. He was Iron Man, for fuck’s sake.

Not that any of that helped when he finally made his way upstairs only to catch sight of the top of Steve’s blond head from over the communal room sofa.

He could not fucking do this.

Tony would never admit he squeaked when Clint tapped him on the shoulder. Nope. He does not squeak.

“Whatchya up to?” Clint asked, a smirk on his face as he took in Tony’s rumpled appearance.

“Nothing to concern yourself over, birdbrain,” Tony said with a mirroring smirk.

Even though his posture was open and his mischievous smirk gave the appearance of ease, Tony could hear the forced carelessness in Clint’s tone, and there was no spark behind his eyes.

“You missed Bucky’s birthday, you know.”

Tony forced his body to relax.

“Did he finally hit triple digits?” Tony asked nonchalantly.

“Have you hit double digits, yet, or are you still hovering at 8?” Clint shot back, the disgust in his tone hitting Tony hard.

“Don’t you worry. I’m a big boy. Just ask half the women in the city,” Tony said and turned on his heel.

Unfortunately, Steve was right behind him.

“Woah, you really should start wearing a bell.”

Steve crossed his arms over his chest with a distinctly disappointed frown.  Oh god, Tony was so not ready to deal with a disappointed Steve.

“You missed the cake,” he said, stepping closer to Tony.

“Umm, yeah. Got caught up in inventions. You know how it is.” Tony gave a noncommittal shrug, eyes flitting away nervously.

“You look tired. How long has it been since you’ve slept?” Steve reached out towards him, but Tony sidestepped it by reaching for the coffee pot on the counter next to him.

“Just woke up, actually,” Tony snarked. “Speaking of, I actually have work left to do so I’m just gonna go.”

Tony grabbed his coffee and fled, leaving a confused Steve behind him.

Hours later, Tony was back in his lab, completely immersed in updating the team’s tech when he heard thumping.

“Jarvis, please tell me that noise isn’t in my head.”

“It appears that James Barnes is requesting entrance.”

“Don’t let him in,” Tony said.

“Sir, he has food.”

“What kind of food?”

After a pause, Jarvis responded, “A burger and fries.”

Sighing, Tony closed his holographic blueprints.

“Fine, let him in.”

The lab door slid open revealing Bucky in a dark hoodie and rumpled sweats.

“Hey Tony. I brought you some food. Figured you were probably hungry,” Bucky said, holding up a greasy paper bag.

Seeing Bucky was like a kick in the gut, a reminder that Tony would always be second best in Steve’s eyes. The worst part is Tony can see why everyone likes Bucky. He’s actually kind of a great guy, other than the whole brainwashed-assassin thing – even though that really wasn’t his fault.

“Oh my god, you are the best,” Tony groaned, reaching for the bag. In just seconds, Tony had unwrapped the burger and stuffed half of it in his mouth.

As Tony destroyed the food, Bucky fidgeted by the door.

“So uh, Tony, you didn’t come up for cake last night.”

“Yeah, I was just busy with work and stuff. Sorry,” Tony said around a mouthful of food.

Bucky looked around the room with a raised eyebrow. “Looks more like you threw a rager.”

Tony stopped mid-chew. He completely forgot to remove the evidence of his alcoholic binge. Shit, he really didn’t need this right now.

“You actually know what a rager is?” Tony tried to deflect the question.

“Tony,” Bucky said disapprovingly. God damn super soldiers and their god damn puppy dog eyes.

“Just part of an experiment,” Tony said.

Bucky didn’t look convinced, but he let the subject drop.

“Well, I wish you had come last night. It’s just, you’ve done so much for me, and you’re basically my closest friend, other than Steve, of course. Nat and I are close, but that’s different. We have some shared history with the red room and all, but you had no responsibility to me and yet you still took me in,” Bucky said earnestly.

Tony fiddled with the edge of the bag, uncomfortable under Bucky’s attention.

“That was all Steve, though. He really did everything. All I did was make sure he had the money for it,” Tony trailed off.

“Tony, really. Don’t play it off. I’m lucky to have you as a friend, and Steve is lucky to have you as his boyfriend.”

Bucky darted forward to give Tony a hug. Before Tony was even able to respond, Bucky was already out the door.

Well, that just happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you feel like it, follow me on tumblr here -> http://superwholocked-rising-pancake.tumblr.com/


End file.
